Schmitz Press has installed a new printing press, a six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster 102 SP, with sheetreversal, in-line aqueous coater, CP-Tronics, and CPC-21.

This state-of-the-art sheetfed offset press is equipped with CP-Tronic Digital Control System, Heidelberg's programmable electronic system for Autoplate, Preset, Autoregister, and automatic washup. This technology provides precision registration and significantly reduces makeready and washup times, as well as spoilage.

The press's sheet reversal (perfecting) device allows for printing up to four colors on one side of a sheet and up to two colors on the other side -- in a single pass through the press. This capability not only further reduces makeready, press run, and wash-up times, but eliminates problems which may occur in a second press pass, such as dimensional changes in the paper, rolled-in sheet edges, lengthy drying times between passes, or frequent washups due to powder.

Conversion from straight printing to perfecting (or vice versa) is accomplished in minutes, and press speeds can be maintained between 9,000 and 11,000 sheets per hour when

perfecting, equalling 18,000 - 22,000 sheet sides per hour.

Quality control of color is maintained through CPC-21, Heidelberg's spectrophotometer and electronic ink measurement system. This device measures spectral values and evaluates the readings in the same way the human eye does in perceiving color.

As soon as the sheet has been measured with CPC-21, the data for inking are automatically calculated from the gray, full tone, overprint, and halftone areas, and adjusted accordingly. This system, which will be linked to Schmitz's other two Heidelberg Speedmasters as well, ensures color quality and consistency throughout the press run, whether long or short.

The in-line aqueous coater offers the protection and sheen of a traditional varnish, without the environmental concern of VOC content. Further, the coating is applied and simultaneously heat-dried, so no drying time is required before the second side of the sheet can be printed. An added benefit of aqueous coating, as opposed to varnish, is its resistance to fingerprinting.

See the installation!